Electrical apparatus



Dec. 20, 1938. H. F. SMITH ELECTRIGAL APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. F. SMITH I ELECTRICAL APPARATUS zo, 193s.

\ Filed Nay 26, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet` 2 A Dec. 20, 1938.

H. F. SMITH ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 20,1538 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,141,050 ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Harry F. Smith, Dayton, Ohio, assgnor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application May 26, 1934, Serial No. 727,775 3 Claims. (Cl. 5-66) This invention relates to electrical apparatus each other; and the arrangement is such that and more particularly to the adjustment of a when the sections II and I2 are adjusted, the rest device, such as a bed or the like. upper parts of the edges I'I and I8 are not ma- It is an object of this invention to provide a terially Changed With respect t each Other and rest device with an adjustmentwhich can be there are no creases formed in the sections I5 5 actuated by electrical power under the control and I6. If desired, a unitary mattress I9 may of a person while -occupying the rest device. be placed over the spring sections. This mat- Another object of this invention is to provide tress, because of its relatively thin construction, an improved adjustable rest device in which may bend without creating any objectionable 1i) various sections can be adjusted without causcreases therein. Thus, it will be seen thatIhave l0 ing objectionable creases in the springs, upholprovided a construction in which relatively thick stering or the like. spring or coil sections can be provided, and they y Further objects and advantages of the present may be adjusted angularly with respect to each invention will be apparent from the following other and yet no objectionable lateral stresses l i.; description, reference being had to theaccornare placed in the structure by the adjustment. l5

panying drawings wherein a preferred form of In the embodiment now preferred, the Stationthe present invention is clearly shown. ary frame IU may take the form of a rectangular In the drawings: metal frame made of angle irons or L metal Fig. 1 is a vertical section, partly in cross secmembers. The sections II and I2 may likewise tion, partly in elevation and with certain elebe rectangular and may also be formed of angle ments broken away to show more clearly the irons or metal L sections. The movable fulcrum various instrumentalities; I4 may take the form of a shaft or bar 20 riv- Fig. 2 is a view .somewhat similar to Fig. 1 eted or bolted to the section II and carrying a with the adjustable sections in another position; wheel 2| riding on the frame I0. The fulcrum Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken I3 may be a bar or the like passing through the 25 parallel to Fig. 1 but on a plane nearer the cenframeworks I0 and I2. tral axis; A motor 22 may be supported from the sec- Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion I0, and proper drive connections from the tion of the bed with parts horizontally displaced motor to the sections II and |2 are provided. to show more clearly the arrangement of levers, These connections may take the form of a shaft 30 fulcrums, etc.; 23 driven by a chain 24 which in turn is driven Fig. 5 is a tcp view of the switch or relay from the sprocket wheel 25 geared to the mowhich controls the motor, and l tor 22. The shaft 23 is provided with a pair'of Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the electrical gears 26 which mesh with sectional gears 21 rigcontrol. idly secured at each end of the shaft 28. This 35 A rest device or bed, according to my invenlatter shaft is supported from the frame I0 in tion, includes a framework which has adjustable any suitable manner such as by proper subsections which 'may be actuated by an electric framework, a portion of which is shown at 29. motor under the control of a person while occu- The sectional gears 2'I are connected by suit- 40 pying the device. Thus, it may include a staable levers with the sections II and I2. Thus, 40 tionary frame I0, somewhat similar in construca lever 30 is connected to the fulcrum I4 and a tion to the usual spring supporting frame work strap 3| rigidly bolted to and spaced away from of the ordinary bed. On this stationary frame the gear 2l pivotally connects the gear 2l with are adjustably mounted two or more spring supa link pivoted to the frame II at 32. This link porting sections Il and I2. The section I2 is thus tilts the section II and the lever 30 moves 45 mountedy on aV stationary fulcrum I3 while the the fulcrum I4 toward the left to spread apart section Il is mounted on a movable fulcrum I4. the sections II and I2 and avoid compression These sections are adapted to be in aligned postresses at the upper parts of the edges I1 and sltion as shown in Fig. 1, or they may be ad- I8 when the sections II and I2 are adjusted.

justed to an angular or sitting position as4 shown The gears 21 are connected with the section I2 50 in Fig. 2. by means of a hooked leverI 33 which passes over The spring supporting sections II and I2 are the bolt 34 of the lever 3D and is linked to the adapted to support relatively thick spring or coil bar 35 which extends along the side of the bed sections I5 and I6, preferably constructed like and is provided at its other end with a cable box springs, with the edges Il and I8 adjacent attachment in the form of a block of wood 3B 55 to which the cable 31 is attached. The cable 31 passes over the pulley 38 and is connected to the lug 39 secured to the section I2. When the gears 21 are rotated in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig, 1, the cable 31 permits the lug 39 to be lowered, thus tilting the section l2 to the position shown in Fig. 2.

The control for the motor 22 is shown more in detail in Figs. and 6. This control includes a relay 40 which is provided with solenoids 4|, 42 and 43 adapted to actuate the contact arm 44 so that it assumes either the neutral position shown in Fig. 6 or is swung either to the right or the left to close the proper contacts to cause the motor 22 to turn in the proper direction. The switches 45, 46 and 41 may be placed at any point convenient to the person while occupying the bed and these switches are adapted to adjust or stop the adjustment of the bed as will be evident. Thus when the switch 45 is closed, current flows from the battery 48 to the solenoid 4|. This actuates the arm 44 to the right and closes contacts 49 to 52. This energizes the motor 22 and causes it to rotate in one direction. When the switch 41 is closed, current flows from the battery 48 to the solenoid 42, moving the arm 44 to the left and closing contacts 53 to 5G, causing the motor 22 to turn in the opposite direction. 'I'hus when the motor turns in one direction, it adjusts the bed to or towards the aligned position of Fig. 1, and when the motor turns in the opposite direction, it adjusts the bed to the angular position of Fig. 2.

Means are provided for maintaining the con/- tacts 49 to 56 inclusive closed until the adjustment has reached its final position or until it is desired to stop the motor by means of the switch 46. Thus a pair of trip levers 51and 58 are pivoted at 59 and are bridged together at 6U. The bridge 60 is connected to an actuating link 6l which may be actuated either by the solenoid 43 or by impact at 62 from a link 63 which in turn is actuated by shaft 28 which carries the gears 21. Lug 64 is provided on the shaft 28 which engages the link 63 and causes it to impact at 62 and stop the motor when the sections Il and I 2 have reached their aligned position or nal angular position. If it is desired to stop the adjustment at some intermediate position, the switch 46 4is closed, thus causing current from battery 48 to flow through the solenoid 43 which in turn actuates the link 6| and the trip levers 51 and 58. These levers 51 and 58 are provided with hooks 66 which are adapted to catch the arm 44 when it is actuated either to the right or to the left and hold the arm in this position until the levers 51 and 58 are tripped by the link 6I. Thus, the arm 44 is freed and permitted to assume its neutral position, thus opening the switch 46 and stopping the adjustment at the desired position. This is so because when arm 44 is in its neutral position, current can not flow from the source 68 to the motor 22.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it .is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. In a rest device, a stationary frame having fulcrum means including fulcrum supports, movablefulcrums on said supports, a substantially rigidspring supporting section on said fulcrums, a second spring supporting section mounted on the fulcrum means, separate spring sections on said supporting sections, a power-driven shaft, and connections between said shaft and both of saidsupporting sections proportioned and arranged to move said supporting sections about said fulorums and fulcrum means to maintain the tops of said spring sections together independently of any direct connection between said spring sections.

2. In a rest device, astationary frame having fulcrum means including fulcrum supports, movable fulcrums on said supports, a substantially rigid spring supporting section on said fulcrums, a second spring supporting section mounted on the fulcrum means, separate spring sections on said supporting sections, a power-driven shaft, eccentrics on said shaft, and longitudinal bar connections between said eccentrics and both of said supporting sections proportioned and arranged to move said supporting sections about said fulcrums and fulcrum means to maintain the tops of said spring sections together independently of any direct connection between said spring sections.

3. In a rest device, a body supporting means including a plurality of separate body supporting resilient sections having resilient upper surfaces, tilting supporting means for said plurality of separate sections, said tilting supporting means including means for maintaining an edge portion of each of the upper surfaces of said plurality of separate sections in engagement with each other during the tilting of the separate sections independently of any direct connection between said separate sections. l

HARRY F. SMITH. 

